Commercial Integrator + Security Sales October 2024 - 56

SECURE PERSPECTIVES
Tracie Bales, Business Development Manager
at Bosch Security and WISF AmbassadHER
FOR THIS EDITION of SECURE Perspectives,
SIA spoke with Tracie Bales, who is business
development manager at Bosch Security Systems
and a WISF AmbassadHER.
SIA: How did you get into the
security industry?
Tracie Bales: After graduating from college, I worked
at a local bank as the customer service manager and
one of our physical security service technicians told
me about an opening at his company.
I applied and started working as a service
territory advisor helping the technicians schedule
their jobs each day. I grew at that company, going
into marketing and eventually sales and never
looked back.
propel success. Also, I don't see a lot of women in
management in the security departments.
Our ability to multitask, make quick decisions
and organize priorities seem to be a good fit for
those positions.
TRACIE BALES
business
development manager,
Bosch Security Systems
SIA: What impediments do you see for
achieving this? What could remedy some of
these impediments?
Bales: The biggest impediment is not knowing
about this field and all the opportunities available.
The field of security, the jobs available or how to
get started are never talked about in classrooms
or job fairs. All of us need to do a better job at
spreading the word and referring more younger
people and women for roles.
SIA: How does your organization serve the industry?
Bales: Bosch is a manufacturer. The division I work for is the
Security Systems business unit, and we manufacture security
solutions that encompass intrusion systems, access control, video
and public address.
SIA: What is your current position?
Bales: I am the business development manager for the financial
vertical. I educate end users on our solutions and find ways to
incorporate Bosch intrusion and access into their standards. I
look for unique ways to use our products to solve security problems,
such as ATM crimes, and I also train sales teams on how to
sell Bosch to financial institutions.
SIA: What types of job functions do women fill in your
company? Is there diversity of roles in your company or
do women gravitate toward certain job functions?
Bales: I'm very fortunate to work for Bosch. We do have a diverse
group of women who work here. Our HR team in the U.S. has
women in their group, and our logistics team is led by a female.
There are women in sales (although not enough), engineering,
training and support roles. I don't see women gravitating toward
certain job functions, but I do notice fewer women in upper
management and in the field working with integrators, dealers
and end users.
SIA: With more and more data that shows diversity makes
a better workforce, what opportunities do you see for
women in the security industry?
Bales: Women need to be more involved with working with end
users. In those verticals where it is true relationship sale, I feel
women can succeed. Our natural tendency to nurture can help
SIA: What do you see as important trends in the industry?
Bales: One of the biggest trends I am seeing centers on integrations
and the ability to offer solutions that are versatile and
fix several challenges. For instance, Bosch likes to work with
other companies and integrate our intrusion panels with other
platforms that provide seamless solutions for the end user.
We understand they don't want different systems in their
operations centers, so our ability to integrate and work from
another platform allows the consumer to minimize the number
of separate solutions they need to operate.
SIA: More specifically, what trends are you seeing in Bosch's
space providing building security solutions and services?
Bales: Bosch is continuing to make advancements with integration
of our own product units. Our intrusion panels are the real
brains of the operation that not only provide intrusion protection
but also allow our access control to be controlled from
the panel and have the ability to use our IP analytic cameras to
be optical sensors that send alerts to our intrusion panels and
record as needed.
The integrations are amazing and very versatile, and the
ability to use analytics is a game changer. In addition, Bosch
is continually making advancements with the components in
our sensors.
SIA: What are the top challenges your company has faced
in the last year?
Bales: Specific to Bosch, we have faced many challenges with
the announcement that our division is up for sale. Although
this is a great opportunity for us to grow further and have a
new company invest in more R&D, the uncertainty caused
some challenges.
56 Commercial Integrator+Security Sales & Integration | October 2024
SECURITY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (SIA)
Commercial Integrator + Security Sales October 2024

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